Bitterness
by AliceMitch09
Summary: Sometimes, not all love stories have a happy ending. Sometimes, it's best to end things before it gets worst. And sometimes, it's just better to let the good things go. Pairing may change.


**A/N:**

_BOOM! MY 20th FIC! \m/ *fist bumps in the air*_

_To commemorate my 20th story in my account, I decided to add this up :3 The pairing I added took me practically FOREVER until I decided that it was A-Okay. Weeee~ I SO LOVE BITTERSWEET ANGSTY FICS! HURRAY FOR ME! I might have seconds thoughts and change the pairing sooner or later, I just needed the PERFECT pairing but can't come up with one. I appreciate suggestions! But anyways, enjoy!_

**DISCLAIMER: **I merely borrowed the characters for the sole purpose of this fic, nothing more, nothing less.

**01/18/13: **Edited because I was dying of the errors I had realized existed.

* * *

It was very cliché actually, like it was fresh out of a soap opera or a romance novel, Alfred F. Jones was a superstar living his life at the peak of his career and Alice Kirkland was just an ordinary hard-working girl striving to fight the odds and feed her remaining family, her little brother.

He had the easy life thanks to his wealth; she had to burn midnight oils and buckled in to balance both studies and her personal life thanks to her status.

He had the world on his feet; while she had to bear the weight of the world on her shoulders.

He can have the things he want in a flash, she had to fight a foot and a nail just to get what she needed.

He wanted it all, while she was more than satisfied with what she had on hand.

He has everything, she has nothing.

Two complete polar opposites.

With almost, zero chances of meeting.

But that was the fun part of it all, funny how something called fate came in and brought these two together.

And as usual, it started off with a rocky beginning...

Alfred was born to a wealthy family – his father was a well-known Hollywood director, while his mother, was one of the biggest attorneys in town. He started acting in a commercial ad when he was barely 3, which then spawned the start of his acting career. But because he was too focused on his career and a little less on his education, he became a college drop-out. And because he had stern parents, his mother forced his butt into college and to finish his degree. As to not put shame to the family name she had said. So he did, went to college if he must or his career would be in shambles.

Alice on the other hand was just trying finding balance with her school life and personal life. Life was not very nice with her- Her mother died giving birth to her little brother, she was only 8. On her 10th birthday, her father tragically died on the way to buy his precious daughter a gift. But even with all these trials she went through, she still manages to keep a smile on her face. Even with numerous part-time jobs, she was able to feed her sickly little brother and win her way into a scholarship at one of the most prestigious Universities with a chosen course of Creative Writing. She had always been an avid reader which had earned her interest to writing, her father was her biggest critic and fan and highly encouraged her to take up Creative Writing, of which she did.

As Alfred had entered the university, he happened to bump into Alice, mistaking her for a fan. Because of that assumption, he helped pick up her items and signed her notebook and left for the principal's office. She was appalled, very appalled._ Who did he think he was? Passing around assuming and being all high and mighty?_ Right after that, she quickly dropped the whole thing and sped off to her next class, taking to heart that voice in her head that told her that that guy was of no good.

Sadly, fate just _had_ to mess it up.

The next semester after, she was told to be a tour guide to a batch of transferees of which she obliged. As fate came in, so did _him_. She was pretty oblivious to him and aura fawning all over him. Even the fan's screams were like nothing but air to her.

At lunch break, she bumped into him once again with her can of coke falling into his hand. He had mistaken it as her little gift and thanked her, appalled, she made a scene by taking the coke from his hands and telling him kindly that he shouldn't be so high of himself and stop coming up with stupid assumptions. That left him humiliated and his pride down, never in his whole entire life did a girl pass at him and yet, here she was! But she just caught his interest, so he decided to pursue her.

But after multiple failed attempts, he wanted to avenge himself for the humiliation he did to her.

He was interested in her, but sadly, the feeling was not mutual. So she paid him no attention.

So it all went downhill from the moment he decided to pull childish pranks on her just to see what she was doing, and that was messing with him, which frankly, was one of the worst and horrible decisions of his life.

But when her little brother, Peter, was one day rushed to the hospital and he curiously ran after her, he then realized how everything he knew about her was wrong. She was everything he never knew girls were capable of becoming. She was _more_.

After that, he offered to help her with her financial needs, most especially with her little brother's hospital needs and a new home for the two, the siblings lived in the dorm given to her upon scholarship.

She tried to reason out for him, turning down a huge offer of which she can't pay back with what little allowance she is given with. But he told her it was fine, for as long as it was her.

After that, fate decided to let things as is and leave them.

Their relationship slowly blossomed – sweet innocent friendship.

Which had somehow, spawned into a beautiful relationship of young love.

With her, he was able to realize what more he can do with life than just act and party. He learned to be compassionate, selfless and a little bit of mature.

And with him, she finally realized that there was more to life than studying and working hard all the time. Thanks to his optimistic and carefree attitude, he rubbed off on her and relieved her off her workaholic and neglect for her well-being.

With each passing hour together, the warm feeling between them was starting to get stronger and stronger before they both realize what that feeling had become, love.

She was in denial of such feelings towards him, skeptical even that the two of them can be something. But he was relentless, determined to prove that his feelings were true and that she could as well, and to get it through her thick skull that they both felt the same way about each other.

It had taken him some time, but eventually, she gave in.

For the past 6 months of their relationship, the two had endured the severity of their statuses, the awkwardness of their first kiss, bypassing her dorm mates' and younger brother's crazy antics, the paparazzis and the jealous fans. But in the end, they remained as faithful and as loyal to each other as possible.

That is, until reality had to come in and ruin things.

* * *

"I don't think you're the right girl for my son. _Per Se_ I don't really like you. I don't see what he sees in you my dear. I do hope you'll understand that." the blonde woman in lavishly strict businesswoman attire says firmly to the 22-year old writer aspiring student before her.

The student - Alice Kirkland, dressed in baby blue knee-length dress, black leggings, gray sweater cardigan and flats, with her dirty blonde hair was kept in a messy bun with bangs framing her soft face - shook her head lightly whilst keeping her green eyes fixated at the older woman before her.

"No, no, I understand your point Ma'am. However, there's just one funny thing that so cliché from all this - him, a rich, popular guy falls for a poor, average girl like me? I get that. But that's not what's hilarious; the hilarious part is that you sound like you don't trust your son's choice to choose someone he loves. _Really_ loves. I know you're only looking out for him, but don't you think you're doing too much? Quite frankly, I can't blame him for the way he can just casually say my name proudly. The way his eyes seem to glisten and soften when he sees me, or how he can relax to the sound of my voice. No, I really can't."

Her eyesight begins to blur, catching her off guard. Such act amused the woman before her, clearly finding all this act. She chuckles a cold, heartless laugh.

"You're good my dear, very played out your words are," she brings a manicured finger to her face, resting her arm in the armrest and watches her amusingly "What else can I expect from a student from the Creative Writing department."

The last statement was left with an icy yet challenging tone, the one she usually used to defend her clients in an expected the girl to be defending herself; being the prideful and confident girl that she was. Or told, by her son. But to her surprise, she chuckled bitterly along at her venomous words.

Once she had calmed down, she looked up, smiling an unfathomable emotion with an unfamiliar sadness in her eyes. The way she looked at the older made her want to take back everything she had her lips dry, Alice went on, smiling half-sadly and half-joyful at her.

"Well, I can't blame you for not believing me, but I just had to let that part out. I'm not asking you to like me, nor am I expecting you to ask me to leave your son. I just did all that. My sole purpose for having this talk was to stall some time. And maybe, try and talk things out with you. But the way our conversation went, I can pretty much tell that it was all but a futile effort."

Having said her part, Alice stood from her seat and let out shaky breathes she never knew was there "Don't worry, I promise I'll leave your son alone from the moment I leave this building. You don't have to warn me even further." Giving her a brief smile, she spoke "Goodbye Ma'am, may you have a good day." with that, she left her office.

Outside her office, she pretended not to act surprise at the sight of him. Alfred F. Jones, in his plaid shirt, cargo jeans, jacket and converse. Blond hair flailing everywhere, he looked like he had just arrived and was currently gasping for his breathe, beautiful round ocean blue eyes widened in shock at her.

She gave a reassuring small smile that had told him. That smile tore him to pieces, he had walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her, refusing to believe what was going on. One of her slim hand forced its way to his chest, urging him to let her go. But she was way too weak to break away from.

Alfred wouldn't – he couldn't.

"Alfred," she whispered, already hating the break in her voice "it's over. You have to let me go."

She felt him shake his head adamantly at her refused to let her go. As much as it tore her too, she needs to do what was for the best for the both of them.

"A-Alice, p-please…" he had begged.

"You have to let me go Alfred." She said coldly, voice almost breaking.

Her voice was meant to be strong and farce. Bitter even. But it shook, she hated that feeling of weakness evident in her exasperatedly, she tried again

"Alfred, please-"

"Why?!" he snapped, cutting her chose not to speak. He raised his head from her neck and glared at her angrily.

Smoldering blue eyes, staring at soft green ones. It was too much for her to bear.

"Why is it so easy for you to let me go? Why are you so willing to, huh? Why?" he asked, shaking her violently.

Sparing him a glance, she head dropped to the ground looking at it with interest. With a broken smile etched on her face, she shrugged her shoulders which caused him to get angrier with her.

"Answer me Alice! Why are you doing this?!"

She merely shrugged again.

"Damn it Alice, talk to me! Why can't we talk this through? Didn't we promise each other that? Why is it so hard for you to remember that?"

Momentary silence, then she shrugged. That was enough for his vein to pop and his anger to get the best of him.

"GODDAMNIT ALICE, STOP BEING LIKE THIS! TALK TO ME! STOP BEING SO CLOSE-FISTED AND TALK TO ME! YOU'RE BEING SO STUBBORN, STOP BEING SO COMPLICATED AND-"

"That's the point!" she said calmly, breaking him off from his anger and look down at her confusingly.

"W-what?"

Breaking free from his grip, she looked up with her broken gaze against her firm look. Though, it was too sad to even bare another look into her face with these two combinations.

"I told you before didn't I? That you'd regret getting to know me? That I'll be the most complicated person you'll ever meet? But what did you do? You tried to force yourself in, break my complications and tried to be my hero. What do you want me to say then? '_Oh thank you Alfred, you finally helped me see the brighter side of things and life as I've never seen it before_' Kind of shit? No. That's just pathetic. Plain and utterly pathetic. You see Mr. Jones, our worlds are mildly vast. Meaning, chances of me and you? Zero equal to zero. We can and can't fix it. But right now? I'm cutting the ties. Don't you see? I chose to break it. You've got your life, and I've got mine. I'm ending this now because I don't want you to stress any more than you already have on your plate. I did this to do ourselves one big favor."

Taking a deep shaky breath she never knew was there, she took his hand and returned to him the necklace he gave her as a gift the day they started dating. During the whole time she had conversed with his mother, she had pocketed it the whole time for this one event.

"This will be the last time we'll ever talk or see each other again. I made a promise to your Mom, and I promised to uphold that promise. Just," momentarily debating with herself, her face strained into a fickle pain and before he knew it, she had leaned up to give him a quick peck on his lips on tip-toed steps.

He was stunned to return the fervor, but looked down on her face, eyes void with emotion. After the brief kiss, she uttered the painful words from deep within her.

"Thanks for everything Alfred Jones. I mean it. Thanks, I'm sorry…" she backed away from him, pushing a button without turning back

Alfred was all too stunned to move from his spot or to try and stop her. And before he knew it, she was already in the elevator, pressing the button to the ground floor. He ran after her, only to have the doors close on was able to catch a quick glimpse of her broken expression, and her parting words.

"No-"

"Farewell Alfred."

When the doors closed, Alfred slammed the doors with both fist. Wishing that it would open and he'd see her again and hold her tight. But it was too late, she was gone.

Dropping to his knees, he started to cry. Cried to the fact that he lost the love of his life. Cried that they would never be friends again and start off from being complete to the fact that he'd miss her so cried to the fact that he didn't stop her.

On the other side of the elevator, as it slowly went down, Alice finally allowed the tears she had been holding all along to freely fall down her face. Her wall crumbled, emotions took over her. She was so helpless. Her heart has never felt this dead in her whole life. She just wanted to take it all back. She still loved him deep inside. But she had to chin up and accept that they were never meant to be. This was the right thing to do and this was what's best for the both of them, no matter how much it kills.

Besides, this was for their own good..._right_?

* * *

_Bittersweet memories, that is all that I'm taking with me._

_So, goodbye._

_Please, don't cry._

**-Whitney Houston.**

* * *

**1st pairing used - Conflictshipping.**_  
_


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